April is sexual assault awareness month, and WPBF 25 News anchor Stephanie Berzinski covered this very important topic in this week’s edition of “What’s Brewing with Stephanie."

Near the intersection of 45th Street and Australian Avenue in West Palm Beach, drivers will pass by 642 teal flags planted in the grass. Each one of the flags represents a sexual assault survivor in Palm Beach County, but those are the survivors who reported their attacks just in 2015.

"It's so important for us to honor this month and to find ways to prevent sexual assault from happening," Julie Weil, a sexual assault survivor and executive director of the Not Just Me Foundation said. "Self-defense is a wonderful way to start the prevention talk. It's something I wish I had had prior to my attack."

Weil is an outspoken sexual assault survivor. She was attacked by a serial rapist in Miami, in broad daylight, while picking up her children from their church day care.

"As I turned to buckle my son into his seat a complete stranger rushed me from behind and ambushed me," Weil said.

More than a decade later, with her attacker serving multiple life sentences, Weil is determined to reduce the number of flags placed each year and to make sure sexual assault victims receive all the help they need.

Weil works closely with self-defense instructor Larry Louderback, who held a brief seminar for the ladies of WPBF 25 News.

"The more difficult you are as a target, the less they're going to want to deal with you,” Louderback said.

Louderback also reminds people that self-defense begins before you even leave your house. It starts with being more aware of your surroundings.

"Is there someone standing next to your car? Is there somebody next to you who seems to be walking in the same direction that you are? Do you smell anything odd?" Louderback asked.

"If I had had those skills in the forefront of my mind when my attack happened, I may not have stopped the attack, but I may have given myself more of a fighting chance than I ended up having that day," Weil said.

Louderback holds free self-defense classes for those interested. He asks each person to donate $10. All the money raised goes directly to The Butterfly House at Wellington Regional Medical Center. It is Palm Beach County’s only forensic rape crisis center.